OVER WORKED AND UNDER PAID
A friend told me her teenage daughter had been bitterly complaining about "all" her chores. She had two. Take the garbage to the curb 1x a week, and to empty and re-fill the dishwasher 1x a day. The daughter couldn't even believe the demands on her time, the cruelty, the injustice.
My friend was seeing a parenting coach at the time, and the coach had her write down every single chore required to run a household. Each chore went on its own 3x5 card. Grocery shop, mow lawn, pay bills, cook, clean bathrooms, etc. The stack was impressively large. She laid them all out on the dining room table, had the family gather round, and pick up all the cards that represented the chores they routinely did (not just supposed to do, but actually did). Big surprise! The girl picked up two cards, the other children picked up maybe one card, the husband picked up a few, and guess what, the table remained covered with cards!
What does that tell us? It tells me there's going to be a run on 3x5 cards.
12 comments:
love this!!
Tells me, unfortunately, some things never change!
I keep hearing the stories of parents of teens lately and maybe I'll just spend some time today being grateful mine are still little!
Very very funny piece.
Thanks for making me laugh!
Carrie,once again you made my day.I ill be walking around with a smile on my face all day.Mary Engelbreit???
funny, I just sent a list like this to my husband. Feeling underapprectiated...I made sure he knew all the things I had to do and remember as well as everything that is now involved in school starting ON TOP of everything else I have to do! Ugggh...The email had plenty of Fbombs in it. And now, for a couple of days at least. I have someone helping :) Email works just as nicely as 3X5 cards :)
Wow - I'm the meanest mother in the world! My six year old has five chores (feed the cats, put her laundry away, set the dinner table, keep her room clean, and make her school lunch) and my four year old couldn't wait to be "big enough" to have some, too, so she helps me empty the dishwasher, feeds the dog, and puts her own laundry away, too. Maybe starting 'em young will help them understand that it's part of life before they're teenagers. Not that they won't find something to gripe about then, anyway...
Do I get to use two cards for the chores I have to do over when it doesn't get done properly by the assigned chore doer? How about the extra chores that need to be done to fix the mistakes done by said original chore doer?
Oh my gawd!! I don't think I can possibly fit all of those chores on one pack of 3x5 cards! I think I'll have to cut mine in half so I can get twice as many chores written on one set of cards!
Great exercise for those of you with families at home.
Depressing as hell for those of us who live alone. Or with pets. My little doggie simply will not pick up after herself. Wonder if she could read an index card?
Love the post, Carrie.
That is a fabulous idea and as the working mother (50 hours outside the home) of a sloveny tween, 3 year old twins, a husband and an Au Pair I don't think that a table is large enough to hold all those damn cards and I'm going to the stationary store right now!
I'll try the 3x5 card exercise as soon as I can get a break from the chores that I do to write it all down.
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